Dr. Stuart Sumida will speak about “Understanding connections … 300 million years ago” at the San Bernardino County Museum’s guest lecture on Wednesday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is open to the public at no charge.

“Between 280 and 300 million years ago, the final stages of adaptation to land were achieved by backboned animals. Until very recently, most of the fossils bearing on this final portion of the "water to land transition" were known from North America,” said Sumida. “However, in the past twenty years, joint German and American excavations have revealed a remarkable similarity in fossil animals from this time period in Europe and North America. These fossils have in turn given exciting biogeographic confirmation to the structure of the giant supercontinent Pangea that once dominated the planet.”

Stuart Sumida is a Professor of Biology at California State University San Bernardino. He has spent more than 25 years searching for and excavating Late Paleozoic fossils in both North American and Europe. His work has been sponsored by the National Geographic Society, NATO, and numerous museums. He was named the Wang Outstanding Professor of Science, Mathematics, and Engineering for the entire CSU System in 2010, and in 2012 was named California Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation of Washington D.C.

The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 am to 5pm. General admission is $8 (adult), $6 (military or senior), $5 (student), and $4 (child aged 5 to 12). Children under five and Museum Association members are admitted free. Parking is free. For more information, visit www.sb countymuseum.org. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. If assistive listening devices or other auxiliary aids are needed in order to participate in museum exhibits or programs, requests should be made through Museum Visitor Services at least three business days prior to your visit. Visitor Services’ telephone number is 909-307-2669 ext. 229 or (TDD) 909-792-1462.